Crimson Skies
by Mimi Motomiya
Summary: In a twist of fate, Myotismon succeeds in killing the eighth child. What does this mean for the DigiDestined and for the two worlds? And why does Gatomon feel as if she is disappearing? Is there any hope left for the DigiDestined or is this the end?


_Hi everyone! I'm going to try and write a bit of a tragedy type what-if scenario in this, think of it as an 01 Divergent AU. Hope you all…enjoy!_

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 **Chapter One: Deadly Comfort**

They were just kids. Young children who had barely done anything with their lives. Being forced to survive an unknown world they were assigned to protect had been too much to put on a bunch of kids. It was only natural that once they returned to the real world, they would lose the sense of responsibility they had. They didn't want it nor ask for that burden. No one had asked them whether they wanted to be 'DigiDestined' or why they were even chosen for the task.

Izzy Izumi seemed the only one who was still even trying to search for the eighth child. He had tried to get the others back on task but no one was willing to listen to him. After a lot of phone calls and e-mails sent out to the other DigiDestined, he had finally managed to convince his good friend Tai to come over and discuss the issue. It had taken awhile but out of all the Chosen, Tai was the one he was the closest to so the other had listened to him.

Izzy sat in his small room, on his computer table typing into his small laptop. The door was locked just in case his mother came inside and discovered Tentomon there. That wouldn't do well for his case.

"Izzy!" Mrs. Izumi called out. "Tai's here!"

Izzy got up, heading to his bedroom door, opening it and letting the other inside.

"Hey Izzy," Tai said yawning. "Gosh man, you're dedicated. How are you even bothered for this?"

Izzy gave Tai a disapproving look. "Tai, don't you get what's at stake here? We need to find the eighth child before Myotismon does."

Tai sighed. "Yeah, yeah I know. But it's not like Myotismon's done anything either. He's having less luck than we are and he's trying so hard."

Izzy put a hand to his forehead. "With our efforts as they are, he's likely to find the eighth child before we do. Now come here, I found some information that could help us."

Tai rolled his eyes but moved closer to where Izzy was sitting, looking at the computer. "Wait a minute, so the eighth child moved from Highton View Terrace just like we did?"

Izzy nodded. "According to my calculations, yes." He explained all the information he had found out to Tai. It took awhile though. Despite the others not being cooperative, he had managed to get some information out of them, which he guessed would be common for the eighth child as well. Once they were done in an hour or so, Tai looked tired all over again causing Izzy to chuckle.

Before either of them could say anything though, Tai's cell phone began ringing.

"That's probably Mom," Tai said, glancing at the clock. "She must be worried since three hours passed. Time flies, huh?" He chuckled before taking the call. "Hey, Mom."

"T-Tai..." Mrs. Kamiya's shaky voice came from the other end.

Tai frowned, realising his mother sounded on the verge of tears. "Mom, what is it?"

"Tai, it's Kari..." Mrs. Kamiya managed to get out.

Tai realised his heart had begun to beat faster than normal. Kari...what had happened to his little sister? She had been fine when he had left the house earlier, than what was wrong now? Had she fallen sick again? Fear clutched at his heart and he tried to breathe. He couldn't think that but from his mother's voice, it didn't look to be anything good. "Mom, what is it? Tell me, did Kari fall sick again?" He felt Izzy's hand on his shoulder but the comfort didn't mean anything right now. If the situation weren't so terrifying for him, he'd see that for once Izzy's attention was on something besides his computer.

"Tai, Kari's...gone," Mrs. Kamiya sobbed out, her voice becoming fainter by the minute. "She...she's dead."

Tai felt as if someone had tugged out his heartstrings as he heard those words come from his mother's mouth. Kari was...no it had to be a lie. This had to be some sick joke the world was playing on him. Not Kari, not her. His little sister was beautiful and innocent and kind. She didn't deserve to die! She didn't. "Kari...she can't...Mom, stay with me."

His heart almost jumped out of his chest as he heard an ear-piercing shriek from the other end and the phone line dropped. Tai lost grip on his cell, allowing it to fall on the carpeted floor as he fell to his knees. His mother...Kari...what was happening to everyone? Was his mother in some kind of trouble? He needed to go to her but he also needed to see Kari. Tears streamed down as his cheeks and he began shaking. His fists trembled as the thought of his little sister's life being taken before his very eyes. No, not Kari.

"Tai," Izzy knelt besides his friend. "What happened? What happened to Kari?"

"I need to see Kari and Mom," Tai said, his voice sounding as if he were in some sort of daze. "I need to see them. They'll be at home, baking cookies and laughing."

"Tai, look at me," Izzy's voice was firm and Tai tilted his head to look at his friend.

"What did your mother say?" Izzy asked gently.

Tai didn't want to answer. Saying what happened to Kari would make it real and he didn't think he could accept that. He didn't want to accept it. His sister wasn't gone. His mother would call again in a few minutes, saying she was just playing a joke on him to see how much he loved his little sister. It had to be a joke. A horrible, cruel, uncalled for joke but a joke nonetheless. He couldn't accept anything else. Kari wasn't dead. She hadn't been that sick.

"Izzy, tell me this is a joke," Tai said turning and grabbing his friend by the shoulders. "Tell me, my mom is just in a really sadistic mood and is trying to see how much I care for Kari. Please...please tell me that. Please! I'll help you find the eighth child, I'll help the team get their butts into gear, just please tell me my sister is alright."

"Tai, I..." Izzy was struck speechless for once and almost cringed at the look of utter desperation on Tai's face as he moved his hands from Izzy's shoulders to grab hold of his hands.

"Please!" Tai begged Izzy.

"Ok, ok Tai calm down," Izzy said, leading him to sit down on his bed in the corner. "Please just slowly tell me what your mother said. I know it's hard but please."

More tears rolled down Tai's cheeks and he shook his head desperately, unable to say it. He tried to open his mouth but the thought of saying what his mother had told him made him nauseous and he felt like he would throw up. It should have been him. Kari was the amazing one, she had a light. Her kindness was amazing and could brighten anyone's die. She was his light, his parent's light, without that light, he'd wither away. He had courage because her light gave it to him. Right now, he just wanted to crawl away and let the darkness embrace him. He wanted to hide away from the world so no one could ever reach him.

Luckily, Izzy's computer beeped then.

Tai turned to look at it, seeing an e-mail had come in from Gennai. He wanted to smash his friend's computer right now. They didn't need another reminder email to start searching for the eighth child! They had bigger issues to work with. He faintly heard Izzy wince and open the e-mail. He would have ignored it himself if Izzy hadn't gasped and stumbled back.

Still shaken, Tai blinked at his friend through blurred eyes, wondering if there could be any worse news than what he was feeling right now.

"Tai," Izzy said, his voice shaking. "Myotismon's killed the eighth child."


End file.
